Air in an operating theatre is a vehicle for bacterial and gaseous contaminants either generated within the theatre or brought in from outside by movement of people and air. Since many of these airborne contaminants are harmful to patients or to those who work in the operating theatre, it will be appreciated that their removal is necessary on medical as well as financial grounds. In general, removal of such airborne contaminants as bacteria-carrying particles and anaesthetic gases exhaled by the patient is accomplished by specialised air-conditioning systems currently installed in many operating theatres.
An object of the present invention, is the provision of a bacteria-free zone in the theatre where sterile items, particularly surgical instruments may be safely removed from their protective wrappings and in which surgery may be performed without any risk of airborne bacterial contamination.